Encyclopedia Archive

Hand

The way the fabric feels when it is touched. Terms like softness, crispness, dryness, silkiness are all terms that describe the hand of the fabric.

The Hangtag is a tag attached to a garment or other piece of merchandise. It includes information about the manufacturer or designer, the fabric or material used, the model number, care instructions, and sometimes the price.

Hard Shell

The Hard Shell is a high-resistant outer fabric, which provides protection from the environment.

Heat Set Finish (Heat Sealing)

The Heat Set Finish is a process of heat finishing that will stabilize many manufactured fiber fabrics in order that there will not be any subsequent change in shape or size. Heat setting is used to permanently impart a crease, a pleat, or durability into a fabric or garment-a finish that will remain through repeated washings and dry cleanings.

Heather

Heather is a yarn that is spun using pre-dyed fibers. These fibers are blended together to give a particular look. (For example, black and white may be blended together to create a grey heathered yarn.) The term, heather, may also be used to describe the fabric made from heathered yarns.

Heather Mixture or Blend

Heather Mixture are combinations of colors, stock-dyed to provide a mottled or melange type of yarn in woolens such as homespun, tweed, Cheviot, Shetland, etc. It is a cloth made from a mixture of different yarns, predominantly grey but with flecks of different colours.

Heavy Weight

Heavy Weight, also called expedition weight, relates to the temperature rating and level of activity. It usually means cold and low activity. Most often used in base layers. Thick and warm, the heavy weight is usually brushed on the inside for warmth and wicking, and smooth on the outside to protect.